D. Raja urges Govt. to seriously address issue of Indian fishermen dying overseas

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to seriously address the issue of Indian fishermen dying oversees, and take immediate steps to safeguard their rights.

"The Government of India should take it seriously and try to find immediate as well as long-term solution on how to safeguard the fishing rights of Indian fisherman and they should not be subjected to such arrests and attacks," said Raja.

Reacting to reports of a 30-year-old Indian fisherman found dead under mysterious circumstances in a Karachi jail, Raja said that it's not only happening in Pakistan but also in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"It is a serious matter because Indian fishermen are being arrested, attacked and put in prison and many things are happening to them. It is not only Karachi prison. It happens in Sri Lankan prison, it is happening in Bangladesh prison also. Such ordeals should not be faced by Indian fishermen. It is happening with all our neighboring countries," he added.

The CPI leader urged the Centre to take up this issue with the concerned governments and take all steps to protect the rights of Indian fishermen and their safety.

Earlier on Thursday, 30-year-old Indian fisherman Devo Mand Kansaro was found dead in his jail barracks in Malir district. He was arrested in March by Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency for fishing in the Arabian Sea.

The jail authorities have reportedly claimed that Kansaro had died from natural causes after complaining of chest pain.